Electrode apparatus and measurement method thereof

Abstract

An electrode apparatus is applicable on a skin with hair of a mammal for measuring an electrical bio-signal. The electrode apparatus comprises cylindrical chambers, each of which comprises a wall, which forms a cavity within the cylindrical chambers, a roof at a first end of each of said cylindrical chambers, a second end of said cylindrical chambers opposite to the first end being open, and at least one electrode. An elongated structure is located within each of the cylindrical chambers, and comprises a first portion parallel to a central axis of a cylindrical chamber within which it is. A first end of the elongated structure, the first end of the elongated structure belonging to the first portion, is attached to the roof. At least one second portion, each comprising a second end opposite to the first end, deviates from a direction of the central axis of a cylindrical chamber within which it is. The elongated structure rotatable in order to bundle hair when applied to the mammal so as to improve a contact of the electrode with the skin of the mammal.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrode apparatus configured to be applied on a skin with hair of a mammal for measuring an electrical bio-signal, wherein the electrode apparatus comprises:
 first and second cylindrical chambers, 
 the first cylindrical chamber comprising a wall, which is configured to form a cavity within the first cylindrical chamber, and having both ends open, 
 the second cylindrical chamber comprising a roof at a first end of the second cylindrical chamber, a second end of the second cylindrical chamber opposite to the first end being open, the roof covering a combination of the first and second cylindrical chambers, and 
 at least one electrode; and 
 an elongated structure, within both of the first and second cylindrical chambers, comprising a first portion parallel to a central axis of the first and second cylindrical chambers, a first end of the elongated structure, the first end of the elongated structure belonging to the first portion, being attached to the roof, and at least one second portion, each comprising a second end opposite to the first end, the at least one second portion being configured to deviate from a direction of the central axis of said first and second cylindrical chambers; and 
 wherein the elongated structure is configured to rotate in order to bundle hair, the bundle of the hair being formed on and around the second portion of the elongated structure for exposing skin without the hair within both of the first and second cylindrical chambers, when applied to the mammal so as to improve a contact of the at least one electrode with the skin of the mammal. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrode apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure is rotatable with respect to the roof. 
     
     
       3. The electrode apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure is flexible. 
     
     
       4. The electrode apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure comprises polymer. 
     
     
       5. The electrode apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure comprises at least one bendable joint, which is configured to deviate the at least one second portion from the central axis. 
     
     
       6. The electrode apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure comprises the at least one electrode. 
     
     
       7. The electrode apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure comprises a shank as the first portion, and one or more bends, each of the bends being one of said at least one second portion. 
     
     
       8. The electrode apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure has a shape of at least one of the following: a hook, a letter L. 
     
     
       9. The electrode apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the elongated structure is immobile with respect to the roof, and the elongated structure is configured to rotate with the rotation of the second cylindrical chamber. 
     
     
       10. The electrode apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the electrode apparatus comprises a support, which is configured be attached on the skin of the mammal. 
     
     
       11. The electrode apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second cylindrical chamber is configured to reside within the first cylindrical chamber such that the open end of the second cylindrical chamber is deeper within the first cylindrical chamber than the one of the ends comprising the roof; and 
 wherein the wall comprises a wall of the first cylindrical chamber and a wall of the second cylindrical chamber. 
 
     
     
       12. The electrode apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first cylindrical chamber comprises a thread on an inner side of the wall of the first cylindrical chamber;
 wherein the second cylindrical chamber comprises a thread on an outer side of the wall of the second cylindrical chamber; and 
 wherein the first cylindrical chamber and the second cylindrical chamber are configured to attach with each other with the threads, and the second cylindrical chamber is configured to proceed inward or outward a cavity of the first cylindrical chamber on a basis of a rotation of the second cylindrical chamber with respect to the first cylindrical chamber. 
 
     
     
       13. A measurement method of an electrode apparatus, wherein the electrode apparatus is applied on a skin with hair of a mammal for measuring an electrical bio-signal, the electrode apparatus comprising first and second cylindrical chambers, the method comprising:
 collecting hair in a bundle with an elongated structure, which is within both of the first and second cylindrical chambers of the electrode apparatus, in response to rotation of the elongated structure for improving a contact of at least one electrode, with the skin of the mammal; 
 wherein the first cylindrical chamber comprises a wall, which is configured to form a cavity within the first cylindrical chamber, and having both ends open; 
 wherein the second cylindrical chamber comprises a roof at a first end of the second cylindrical chamber, a second end of the second cylindrical chamber opposite to the first end being open, the roof covering a combination of the first and second cylindrical chambers; 
 wherein the elongated structure comprises a first portion parallel to a central axis of the first and second cylindrical chambers, a first end of the elongated structure being attached to the roof, the first end of the elongated structure belonging to the first portion, and the elongated structure comprising at least one second portion, each comprising a second end opposite to the first end of the elongated structure, the at least one second portion of the elongated structure deviating from a direction of the central axis of the first and second cylindrical chambers within which the elongated structure is located; 
 wherein as a result of the collecting, the bundle of the hair is formed on and around the second portion of the elongated structure for exposing skin without the hair. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated structure is rotatable with respect to the roof. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated structure comprises at least one bendable joint, which is configured to deviate the at least one second portion from the central axis. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated structure comprises the at least one electrode. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated structure comprises a shank as the first portion, and one or more bends, each of the bends being one of said at least one second portion. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 wherein the second cylindrical chamber is configured to reside within the first cylindrical chamber such that the open end of the second cylindrical chamber is deeper within the first cylindrical chamber than the one of the ends comprising the roof; and 
 wherein the wall comprises a wall of the first cylindrical chamber and a wall of the second cylindrical chamber. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first cylindrical chamber comprises a thread on an inner side of the wall of the first cylindrical chamber;
 wherein the second cylindrical chamber comprises a thread on an outer side of the wall of the second cylindrical chamber; and 
 wherein the first cylindrical chamber and the second cylindrical chamber are configured to attach with each other with the threads, and the second cylindrical chamber is configured to proceed inward or outward a cavity of the first cylindrical chamber on a basis of a rotation of the second cylindrical chamber with respect to the first cylindrical chamber. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated structure is immobile with respect to the roof, and the elongated structure is configured to rotate with the rotation of the second cylindrical chamber.